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By: Ina Steiner

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"Bad buyers" on eBay are in some ways the equivalent of shoplifters in real life. Walmart is rolling out a program called Restorative Justice to deal with the problem of shoplifting, and it gave us pause.

According to the Texas news story about the program, Walmart offers first-time offenders a choice: either Walmart calls the police, or you take an online educational program called Restorative Justice:

"The interactive educational program is meant to help shoplifters understand why they committed the crime, how someone was harmed, and how to make amends. It also educates people on how to reduce debt and create a budget."

That may sound namby-pamby to some. However, it goes on to cite statistics that it works, and that's why Walmart is continuing with the program.

eBay knows there are bad buyers, and too often it is sellers who must deal with the problem (witness the latest EB Blog post). Could eBay develop a program to educate buyers about how their bad behavior hurts small businesses?

by: iheartjacksparrow

Sun Nov 13 22:46:30 2016

I seriously doubt that any of eBay's Liar Buyers care that they are hurting small businesses. The scum who rob houses, and riot and loot businesses, certainly don't care about the ramifications of their actions. Too many people have no morale compass and would rather get something for nothing.

Could eBay Learn from How Walmart Treats Shoplifters?

by: 27tcle

Sun Nov 13 23:35:51 2016

Shoplifting is more of a young dumb and full of .. sort of thing. Fraud buyers generally are more of the premeditated in it for the money seasoned criminal variety.

Could eBay Learn from How Walmart Treats Shoplifters?

by: Duster

Mon Nov 14 00:04:24 2016

I had a scammer recently who claimed that she had moved after I shipped her package📦. She said she never got it and it never came back to me 📭. I had to refund her money. 👀I googled both addresses that she gave me and they were both $500 K homes🏰. She's either very good at scamming people or she does it for sport. The rich stealing from the middle class👎🏼

Could eBay Learn from How Walmart Treats Shoplifters?

by: DonC

Mon Nov 14 01:01:47 2016

I suppose Ebay could learn a lesson from Walmart on how to treat thieves.Unfortunately they have already emulated Amazon's approach.

Could eBay Learn from How Walmart Treats Shoplifters?

by: Golddustwoman

Mon Nov 14 01:03:03 2016

I have to say, I'm a buyer on eBay and there are some truly shady sellers out there. They use bright lighting to disguise flaws, they ship used stuff instead of new, they send expired products, or they're just not adept at speaking to humans. Also, many sellers just throw your item into an unpadded mailer and then get snotty when you tell them the item arrived damaged. My point is -- not all buyers are scammers. On the flip side, I am also a small seller on eBay and Etsy for almost 7 years now and have had minimal issues with buyers. I disclose all details, I take care when packaging items, and I don't bug customers with emails begging for 5-star feedback. Bottom line, if you don't like eBay, find another venue for selling. I don't understand why some of you continue to complain about eBay year after year. I only read this blog every so often because I get tired seeing the same old people complaining about the same old thing.

Could eBay Learn from How Walmart Treats Shoplifters?

by: cash4clothesbozeman

Mon Nov 14 01:06:31 2016

There is no incentive for a person to take a class. is it "we will kick you off eBay if you dont" Rather than Walmart We will press charges. This is a non subject. Regards Bruce Wendt

Could eBay Learn from How Walmart Treats Shoplifters?

by: val2525

Mon Nov 14 02:12:26 2016

LOL @ golddustwoman. Wait until you get your first false SNAD. Then you'll understand what many of the sellers here are complaining about.

Could eBay Learn from How Walmart Treats Shoplifters?

by: kazaly

Mon Nov 14 04:50:08 2016

Walmart are doing this because they lose money through shoplifting.eBay lose nothing therefore have absolutely no reason to become engaged.

Could eBay Learn from How Walmart Treats Shoplifters?

by: Chicago48

Mon Nov 14 05:26:02 2016

I hope they take the course ONLINE inside a Walmart store and not in the comfort of their home.All this is going to do is send the perp to another store to shoplift.

Could eBay Learn from How Walmart Treats Shoplifters?

by: FeelingFroggy

Mon Nov 14 05:57:14 2016

What is Ebay going to do if the scammer decides not to take their precious course. KICK THEM OFF.

Do you people realize how easy it is to get a new Fleecebay id.

Easier than stealing from WalMart.

Could eBay Learn from How Walmart Treats Shoplifters?

by: pace306

Mon Nov 14 09:17:46 2016

Eh, eBay would just lie and cover up for the buyer ... "yeh they took the course".

All that may work when you are staring at a wall of blue, or your faced with getting a record, but here on eBay - ITS EBAY ITSELF that HELPS the buyer steal.

Asking eBay to create or administer any program or response is akin to asking the fox to guard the hen house.

eBay wants happy buyers, PERIOD. If they have to steal to get it - so what? If they have to lie to get it? so what? If they have to get it from you via a fake VERO claim - again - so what?

Theres no "floor" to eBays fraud - the ONLY thing that counts is "happy customers" - so they can tout it to advertisers and make money of running ads (since its surely NOT about selling things anymore).

eBay doesnt care about you, doesnt care what it does to you, they just dont care, PERIOD.

Do you honestly believe eBay when they tell you "report the buyer"?? what do you think happens when you do so ...????? NOTHING. Same thing that happens when you report a fake item.

Its all a game. Making a sale on eBay is you vs them. Then is eBay and the buyer. It SHOULDNT be adversarial at all, thats NOT how any business should operate. But, its what eBay wants, its what they created.

Could eBay Learn from How Walmart Treats Shoplifters?

by: FREDDY

Mon Nov 14 10:22:33 2016

Who really thinks ebay would spend a dime on this type of program.

Could eBay Learn from How Walmart Treats Shoplifters?

by: a_c_green

Mon Nov 14 10:37:15 2016

@Duster:

> I had a scammer recently who claimed that she had moved after> I shipped her package. She said she never got it and it never came> back to me. I had to refund her money.

Why? If your tracking indicates Delivery to the City and ZIP for the address you received with the PayPal payment, you're covered. You just upload the tracking number where indicated in the Item Not Received dispute, and the bots will close it out as soon as the on-line Delivered status is verified. No clueless-CSR human intervention is even required anymore. What went wrong in your case?

Could eBay Learn from How Walmart Treats Shoplifters?

by: Barbbie

Mon Nov 14 18:07:32 2016

@Duster:Ebay will decide in your favor for a delivered claim (Amazon won't). You should never refund for an item not received on ebay if it says it is on the tracking.What you should do though is contact the post office for them just in case it was marked delivered in error, if so, they will deliver it.Also, did you let her know to check her porch furniture, open garages, carport, with other household members, etc... Maybe someone brought it in the house and her house is giant and she never looked, maybe she wasn't trying to steal from you.

Could eBay Learn from How Walmart Treats Shoplifters?

by: Barbbie

Mon Nov 14 18:44:16 2016

@ Golddustwoman You must not sell very much.Either that or you are really bad at choosing who to buy from. Some of your comments seem to me that you are buying from the Chinese sellers. I do not bug anyone for feedback and all items are wrapped appropriately. But you cannot have many sales without problems.One day, your turn will come when you have to refund. Maybe you will get some of the items I got back just this week:1)A plastic tablecloth that buyer decided was a good idea to cut the top of the padded envelope a good 2 inches down with a scissors and cut through the whole thing. Of course, this was my fault. Claims received damaged - SNAD.2) 2 items that didn't need bubble wrap when they were sent, but when you take them out of the protective packaging after you use them and then throw them both back in the box together, one metal and one plastic and without the air pads either, they become a mess. This was a buyers remorse situation - both ruined, 20% refund kept won't make up for the damage on these free shipping items.3) This guy wins the prize, returns 2 metal masks, completely rolled into a ball both missing the crystals, worn, heat sealed packaging cut open with scissors and the two mashed together. This did not happen in shipping, you would have had to open put together and stomp to do this. It is not that easy to bend.He was kind enough to put in paypal dispute for this one and not ebay. Claims SNAD due to damage in shipping.4) Guy tells me his cup is scratched, I offer him a new one, he only has to take a picture of the damage (agreed after he offered me a photo of the damage as proof). He does not return, does not want a new item, just leaves neg feedback. Apparently, there was no damage but he was mad I didn't fall for the lie.4) One person returns a perfectly good item, unused, unopened and undamaged. For this I thank them profusely, because they are not the norm.

Could eBay Learn from How Walmart Treats Shoplifters?

by: Volvo351

Tue Nov 15 00:44:41 2016

Maybe sitting through those preachy videos is all the punishment that scumbags can stand! When I first saw that phrase 'restorative justice' I figured they maybe made the thieves sweep the floors or clean the restrooms. In a simpler age punishment of that kind would be expected. Everything wasn't a Federal Freakin' Case.

Could eBay Learn from How Walmart Treats Shoplifters?

by: mcposty

Wed Nov 16 12:48:17 2016

No way. That's lik exactly giving their first offense a slap on the wrist. We need to be tougher on scaMyers and thieves not let them off

Could eBay Learn from How Walmart Treats Shoplifters?

by: ebay refugee camp

Fri Nov 18 11:59:01 2016

Ebay has a system in place where the buyer is always right, they have offered the buyer a 100% guarantee and they allow shoplifters, fraudsters and just plain mean people to run over sellers. There is very little doubt about this. Ebay will not do anything like that, they will not do anything that costs them money. This company is not getting our items to the search engines and they do not care because it costs them money. They can say they do this and that but quite frankly they do not. They are never going to have a program for shoplifters to overcome their need for thieving. Ebay is fee based and they will do whatever it takes to try to keep those final value fees.We need legislation that punishes online theft that will make thieves think twice. If you go back and check you can see the buyers who have been caught thieving from you and ebay has done nothing to them , even the ones who are the worst are not hampered by ebay. I have tracked several and they are still going. That is the reason ebay does not want you to see feedback left for others

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